Translation guide
Expressing that something is inexpensive, affordable, or cheap in Japanese, with attention to nuance and natural phrasing.
Describing a product, service, or item that does not cost much money.
The most common and neutral word for 'cheap' or 'inexpensive'. Can be used for goods, services, and prices.
この店は安いです。
This store is cheap.
もっと安いのがありますか？
Do you have a cheaper one?
Literally 'low price'. More formal and often used in business or product descriptions.
低価格で高品質な商品を提供します。
We offer high-quality products at low prices.
Emphasizes a bargain or exceptionally low price. Common in advertising.
格安航空券を探しています。
I'm looking for a bargain airfare.
A somewhat formal or literary term for 'low price', often seen in product labels or older texts.
廉価版のソフトウェアが発売された。
A low-cost version of the software was released.
Indicating that the price is within one's budget or fair for the value.
Means 'reasonable' or 'affordable', implying the price is suitable for the quality or one's budget.
手頃な値段のレストランを教えてください。
Please tell me a reasonably priced restaurant.
Polite version of 'affordable price', often used in marketing.
お手頃価格でご提供しております。
We offer it at an affordable price.
Describing something designed to be cheap, such as a low-cost airline or low-cost option.
Direct translation of 'low cost', used as a noun modifier. Common in business and technology contexts.
低コストのソリューションを提案します。
We propose a low-cost solution.
Used as a modifier meaning 'bargain' or 'cut-rate', e.g., 格安の航空券 (bargain air ticket).
格安のツアーを予約した。
I booked a low-cost tour.
Expressing that something is cheap in a negative sense, i.e., of poor quality.
Means 'cheap-looking' or 'tacky', implying low quality. Avoid using 安い when you mean poor quality.
安い is neutral; use 安っぽい for negative connotation.
このバッグは安っぽく見える。
This bag looks cheap.
Loanword from English 'cheap', often used for style or quality, similar to 安っぽい.
その服はちょっとチープだね。
Those clothes are a bit cheap, aren't they?
安い simply means 'inexpensive' and is neutral. 安っぽい means 'cheap' in a negative sense (poor quality, tacky). Be careful not to offend by using the wrong one.
この店は安いけど、品質はいい。
This store is cheap, but the quality is good.
この店は安っぽい服ばかりだ。
This store is full of cheap-looking clothes.
Loanword from English 'reasonable', commonly used in casual conversation and advertising.
このカフェはリーズナブルでよく来ます。
This cafe is reasonable, so I come here often.